Homeschooling is Pro-life

I first felt the Holy Spirit’s stirrings to homeschool when I attended our Catholic community’s first major Pro-Life event way back in 2006. We had a speaker from Human Life International, Brian Clowes, and it was a truly inspiring, eye-opening event.

Back then I was pregnant with our first child, who will be turning seven this October. My husband, Anthony, and I were so privileged to be part of the Pro-Life event/training back then. Little did I know that being pro-life and homeschooling would eventually become two big passions in my life!

When Joseph Meaney of HLI came to Timor Leste in 2007 for our Family Life Conference, he spoke again about homeschooling and briefly presented the differences in kids who are homeschooled versus those who aren’t. His presentation really made my husband and I start to seriously consider homeschooling as an option for our children.

The conviction to homeschool our kids continued to grow (perhaps God really planted it in our hearts) and was further strengthened when we heard about Catholic lay preacher Bo Sanchez’s homeschool, Catholic Filipino Academy, catering specifically to Catholic Filipino parents like ourselves.

For my part, I have come to believe that homeschooling may not be God’s will for some families, whom He may call to doing mission by sending their kids to public or private schools (even Catholic schools nowadays need a LOT of revival and renewal and are prime mission fields).

Indeed it is challenging and perhaps a bit frightening to even consider teaching one’s children at home. “I’m not a qualified teacher!” “Will I have the discipline and time to do this?” “How can we afford to live on one salary?” “Will my kids be anti-social?” These questions are usually the first that come to mind when one starts thinking about homeschooling.

Thankfully, if one does enough research (thank You, Lord, for the Internet), one can get lots of answers to these questions, and also find encouragement and draw inspiration from countless homeschoolers who truly believe that teaching your kids at home is THE way to go!

Homeschooling is Pro-life

As for our family, after lots of prayer and discernment and research, we have decided that homeschooling is God’s will for us now. He showed this to us while we were still based as lay missionaries in Timor Leste, and has convicted us of the same call this year. It can be quite challenging at times, since I have a fulltime job, but God has been really faithful so far.

To be Catholic in this day and age calls for a firm belief in defending our faith, our families, and our homes. If I call myself Catholic, then I should be pro-life. I firmly believe that homeschooling is pro-life, and that the pro-life work should involve advocating homeschooling.

When we homeschool our kids, it is easier for us to pass down our Catholic faith and life to them. We also get to choose what influences them and in turn how they will live their lives as good Catholics and responsible citizens. We get to be there for them during the critical, crucial stages of their development in all aspects of their lives. We get to teach them about things that are not normally taught in schools, especially the lessons of life.

Homeschooling is pro-life.

If you believe that God is calling you to homeschool, do not be afraid. There are many men and women and families out there who are doing the same thing. Because they are CONVICTED, not just convinced, to do so. Let’s pray for one another that we will be able to act upon all that God is calling us to do, especially in the best interest of our children.

“As for me and my house, will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15